It was 1992. Colbert was one of 12 young men from Catholic College Bendigo who had their names read out in the that AFL draft, and he went on to play more than 200 games for Geelong and North Melbourne.

Getting picked was exciting, he said, but there was very little hype around it.

Former Geelong player Cameron Mooney was picked at number 56 in the draft. Photo: Sebastian Costanzo

"It was a little surreal," he said.

"I can only remember I didn't really care where I was going, as long as I got my opportunity to play."

Hawthorn champion Brad Sewell was with his mother at his grandmother's house in Ballarat when he got a call to say he had been chosen at number seven in the 2003 rookie draft.

He had just finished several weeks' training with the Hawks and was hopeful of getting listed, but had been given no guarantees.

"I don't know who was more excited, probably my mum," he said.

The chances are poor for players chosen low down in the draft having a long AFL career.

But whoever is chosen at number 56 tonight may take some comfort in the fact that premiership player Cameron Mooney was also picked in that humble position in the 1996.

He was in front of a television crew in Canberra with other young players hoping to get their chance in the AFL when his name was finally called out.

Mooney had a hunch North Melbourne would chose him – he had not even nominated for the draft until a Kangaroos official called him to suggest it might be a good idea.

But he was young and had not had a particularly good season, so everyone else in the room was shocked.

Even his coach remarked he had been lucky to be picked, Mooney said, but he later found out he had played a practice match before a North Melbourne pre-season game that year and his good form on that day had been enough to convince selectors.

He went on to play 11 games for North, including the 1999 premiership, and 210 for Geelong, including the Cats' 2007 and 2009 premierships.

Mooney advises players who are drafted this week to attach themselves to one of the great players at their new club, ask them lots of questions and use them as a role model for how to approach the game.

"You haven't got a long time to prove yourself," he said.

Sewell said for the 2015 draftees, the hard work starts now, but they should bear in mind that all the sacrifices would be worth it to play their first AFL game.

Colbert said he felt for the hundreds of disappointed young men who would miss out tonight.

He urged them to keep playing, for the love of it, and because another opportunity may be just around the corner.